Following the release of the teaser for his upcoming short film The Map, Nigerian filmmaker Oyebanji Oyeleru has opened up about the deeply personal experience behind the story.
In a brief interview with The Nollywood Reporter (TNR), Oyeleru reveals that the film was inspired by the disappearance of his brother, Kehinde Oyeleru, as well as the growing insecurity affecting families across Nigeria.
According to him, the story began with a simple but troubling question: “If a child had a map of Nigeria, where would she point to and say I am safe?”
Oyeleru describes the writing process for The Map as emotionally and mentally difficult. While developing the story, he says he realised there were countless tragedies connected to disappearances and insecurity, making it difficult to narrow the narrative into a single idea.
At the same time, the filmmaker notes that the scale of the project also influenced the direction of the script, “I needed to write what we could shoot. I’m writing, and as well I’m asking myself, “how do we produce this and not break the bank?” That’s one hell of a process, trust me,” he says.
Beyond his personal experience, Oyeleru references the case of Gospel Kinanee, a 14-year-old boy who reportedly went missing and later spent 18 years in prison without trial, “That story scared me to smithereens. And then there’s my own reality. My brother is also missing,” he expresses.
The filmmaker believes film remains an effective tool for advocacy because of its emotional reach. According to him, audiences may not always respond to statistics, but stories have the power to move people toward reflection and action.
Oyeleru says The Map exists within that space.“It’s not just a story about insecurity, it’s about the emotional cost of living in a place where safety feels like luxury. It reflects how dreams, futures, and entire lives can be sacrificed on the altar of uncertainty.”
He also hopes the film pushes conversations around government responsibility and public safety.
“Families are devastated. The message is simple: do better.” This isn’t about demands for comfort or compensation. We’re not asking for unemployment benefits or something.”
According to Oyeleru, citizens should be able to live, work, and pursue their ambitions without constant fear of disappearance or violence, “The value of human life has to mean something in this country,” he insists.
More than anything, the filmmaker hopes The Map encourages Nigerians to see safety as a collective responsibility rather than an individual burden, “If you see something, say something. If something feels off, don’t ignore it. Don’t just “waka pass” call it out; and together, we’ll win this fight against insecurity.”
